August 26

Lazarus is dead.—John 11:14,

DURING the interval of Christ's visits to the beloved family at Bethany, Lazarus fell sick. We do not wonder that the affectionate sisters should at once therefore send to Jesus, the divine physician, and their beloved Lord, to make known the circumstance, and to seek his healing aid. The message they forwarded was precisely of that kind, which might be expected from the pious, and amiable sisters of Bethany. "Behold he whom thou lovest is sick." How happy it was that they knew that their brother was the object of Christ's complacent regards. And what a powerful plea it would be with Christ, to attend to their urgent request, when one whom he so much loved was sick. The great advantage of true and genuine friendship, is to obtain sympathy in the hour of trouble and distress. Christ is a friend indeed, who sticketh closer than a brother. In this instance however did Jesus delay his visit. The sickness of Lazarus grew worse and worse, until he became the subject of death, and the house at Bethany became the scene of sorrow and mourning. How disappointed must the sisters have felt at Christ's delay: how they must have counted the moments, and watched every instant for the approach of Jesus! But Jesus knew what was best: though absent from Bethany, his omniscient eye beheld the whole scene. And though the course he adopted might for a short period appear strange and mysterious, yet soon his gracious design was manifested, and the scene of grief and sadness at Bethany, was exchanged for happiness and joy. Believers should not view their losses and sorrows, and bereavements in life, as tokens of the Divine disregard, so far from this, they are often indispensibly necessary to our safety and well-being,—

"Ev'n crosses from his gracious hands, Are blessings in disguise."

Yes, the Saviour's love changes not, he may vary our dispensations, now we may have prosperity, and then adversity: now we may be overjoyed with comforts, and then be, as though the Lord had forgotten to be gracious, yet assuredly the Lord will not, he cannot be indifferent to the interests of his children: at eventide it shall be light, and in the hour when all seems to be gloomy and hopeless, he will arise upon us, as the Sun of righteousness with healing in his wings.

"Blind unbelief is sure to err And scan his work in vain; God is his own interpreter, And he will make it plain."